Welcome to yAdult Review, a space where two girls review novels from across the genres, from YA and MG, to fantasy and sci-fi, to historical fiction and mystery, with a sprinkling of non-fiction too. We hope you enjoy your stay here as much as we enjoy ours.

When Sophie, the least interesting of the Talbot sisters, lands her philandering brother-in-law backside-first in a goldfish pond in front of all society, she becomes the target of very public aristocratic scorn. Her only choice is to flee London, vowing to start a new life far from the aristocracy. Unfortunately, the carriage in which she stows away isn’t saving her from ruin . . . it’s filled with it.

Rogue’s Reign of Ravishment!

Kingscote, “King,” the Marquess of Eversley, has never met a woman he couldn’t charm, resulting in a reputation far worse than the truth, a general sense that he’s more pretty face than proper gentleman, and an irate summons home to the Scottish border. When King discovers stowaway Sophie, however, the journey becomes anything but boring.

War? Or More?

He thinks she’s trying to trick him into marriage. She wouldn’t have him if he were the last man on earth. But carriages bring close quarters, dark secrets, and unbearable temptation, making opposites altogether too attractive . . .

– Goodreads

Review:

On the way to Boston this year, for ALAMW, I finished a handful of books and started and finished one. This would be the one that I inhaled this book so quickly. MacLean reminded with with The Rogue Not Taken why I fell in love with historical romance novels. I denied this genre for so long and MacLean was one of the first I fell in love with and this reminded me why.

The Rogue Not Taken is the story of Sophie who is trying to ignore and run away from her real life and King is her knight in shining armor — who doesn’t want to be one. King had some hardships in life and he’s fine with the way life is. His mother is gone. His father is an asshole. King is fine with the way things are.

“You brought Lady Sophie to anger me. So I gave you what you wished. Because it is easier to be the man you wish me to be than the man I wish to attempt to be.” — 94%

The problem is once their paths crossed they can’t stop crossing. He can’t saving her and she can’t stop being a damsel in distress. What I loved though was MacLean wrote a story where Sophie didn’t want to be in distress. Sophie was pretty independant for her time and did what she could. That being said, she fell in love with King. She didn’t want to. King was not the man she imagined for herself, but he was perfect for her.

“And she knew, this place, this man — he would always be home.” –78%

As much as Sophie didn’t want to be the damsel, King didn’t want to do any saving. He was enjoying his bachelor life and didn’t want a Sophie. What he didn’t know, of course, is that he needed a Sophie. What MacLean did was create an adorable story that I cannot wait to read again and see them in the rest of the Scandal & Scoundrel series.

Caught by You: A Love Between the Bases Novel (Love Between the Bases #2) by Jennifer BernardRelease Date: December 29, 2015Publisher: AvonSource: EdelweissRating:Buy It:Amazon | IndieBound

Love comes out of left field in the second novel in USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Bernard’s sexy baseball-themed series

Months of alternately flirting and bickering with Kilby Catfish catcher Mike Solo just turned into the hottest kiss of Donna MacIntyre’s life—and that’s a major league complication. Any hint of scandal could keep her from getting her son back from her well-connected ex. Then Mike comes up with a game-changing idea: a marriage proposal that could help win her case— even as it jeopardizes her heart . . .

Mike hasn’t been able to get the gorgeous, gutsy redhead out of his fantasies. The least he can do is fix the mess he helped create. Yet their engagement is quickly becoming about a lot more than doing the right thing. Because after swearing he’d never risk love again, Mike has found a passion that puts all his emotions in play, and a woman he’ll go to bat for again and again . . .– Goodreads

Review:

I’ve never hidden the fact that I could read paperback romances all day long, this is partly why I was so excited to get an ARC of Caught by You. I had read the first one in the series and was happy to see where the story would continue. The continuation story was…okay. While I read the story quickly there wasn’t really anything hooking me into the story.

I enjoyed the basics of the story. Boy and girl are hot for each other, can’t keep their hands off each other, do a fake engagement, etc. THESE ARE ALL THE BACKGROUNDS TO THE MAKING OF MY FAVORITE STORY. There is no reason this shouldn’t have worked. But it fell constantly flat. The fact that they thought this would help with her well connected ex was never believable for me. I tried, I tried really hard to make this work. Even with the first book in the series it was known that Kirby was a small down. People gossip, everyone’s connected, etc. But still, this round I struggled.

Donna was hung up on her past and couldn’t move on from her past. Which I understand. Everyone has something in their past that they do not want to deal with. However we all move on from that and become a stronger person. Donna never believed she was strong enough and didn’t see why others would have faith in her. I wanted to shake her. I wanted her to have this great strong backbone, and by the time she got it, it was too little too late for me to care.

This won’t be my last Bernard book, but I do hope for more from the next one.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue (The Debutante Files #2) by Sophie JordanRelease Date: July 28, 2015Publisher: AvonSource: Audio from Library!Rating:Buy It:Amazon | IndieBound

There was once a lady who loathed a lord…

Lady Aurelia hasn’t always hated Max, Viscount Camden, her brother’s best friend. In fact, as a besotted girl, she thrived under his kind attention – sure that he was the most noble and handsome man in the land. Until her young heart discovered what manner of rogue he really was. Now, though she enjoys nothing more than getting on his last nerve, she can’t deny Max drives her to distraction—even if she tries to pretend otherwise.

…and a lord who was confounded by a lady.

Max cannot recall a time when Aurelia did not vex him. If she was not his friend’s sister, he would stay far away from the infuriating vixen. Unfortunately, they are always thrown together. At parties and family gatherings…she is always there. Infuriating him, tossing punch in his face, driving him mad…until one night, she goes too far and he retaliates in the only way he can: with a kiss that changes everything. – Goodreads

Review:

I’ve read my fair share of Sophie Jordan novels in the past year and while I haven’t found them to be spectacular, I have found them to be okay. While I wouldn’t search her work out, if I was searching for an audiobook and she was available I wouldn’t say no. That is how I ended up with All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue. What that doesn’t tell you is how delightful I found this novel. My favorite of hers that I have read so far!

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue is an adorable historical novel about Aurelia and Max who have known each other from childhood. Although this makes it seem like a classic romance novel it’s more than that. Aurelia and Max spend a good portion of their lives actually hating each other with snark and banter to remind the reader of this. At times it’s painful, but at times it is hilarious leaving you wanting more.

The banter and snark throughout Aurelia and Max was real and hot. While others have viewed it as cruel and unnecessary I laugh because I have a lot of friendships like that. We’re not being mean, we’re just being us! These are not two perfect characters. They are not perfect by a long shot, but they’re in love and they made mistakes so it of course took them awhile to get there. It was just what I needed to read in that moment.

On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shyly pretty and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.

A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter … and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.

Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters… and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep. – Goodreads

Review:

Previous books of Tessa Dare prove that historical romance with humor can exist. For so long I denied myself historical romance books because so many were dry and put me to sleep. But Dare continues to give me hope that I can find my area in this genre. When a Scot Ties the Knot is the story of Madeline and Logan, two people who should have never met unless fate intervened. No really, it’s all fate, it has to be. Because here’s the thing, Madeline is awkward and feels more comfortable with her family and drawings then being presented at the local balls. To stop this from happening, she invented a sweetheart: Captain MacKenzie. What Madeline doesn’t expect is Captain MacKenzie to be a real person. She was writing these letters assuming no one would ever get them, but to know that not only someone got them, but that they also read them? She wants to die.

She loved to draw anything. Well, almost anything. She hated drawing attention to herself. —2%, eARC

On the other side of this equation is Logan, the Captain MacKenzie. A man who knows that he doesn’t deserve love since his parents abandoned him and he was used for others gains since then. The fact that someone even wrote to him caused him pain and anguish in the service, but he doesn’t care now. What he cares about is the fact he now has land for his formed family. And as someone who loves formed families, those you make for yourself, I loved that Dare included this into the story. It is so important to find and chose your only family.

She now had a confidant. A Conspirator. Someone who knew everything. All her secrets. He didn’t love her for them, but he hadn’t run screaming from her, either. –19%, eARC

To gain this land of course the two of them must not only marry, but also consummate the relationship and I adored that Maddie did not make it easy for him. There was so much banter, and learning about each other that my heart constantly soared for these two characters. Both of whom just wanted to be loved, but also wanted to stay themselves, who they viewed as unloveable. (They viewed themselves as unloveable. Not the other one. Even if they couldn’t admit it. They very, very much loved the other one.)

She flinched at his words. He knew at once he’d hurt her. And it didn’t feel nearly as satisfying as he’d hoped it would. It made him feel rather small, actually. Like a boy caught winging rocks at songbirds. —45%, eARC

What was also enjoyable about When a Scot Ties the Knot is the fact that, while the relationship wasn’t easy, it was believable. Through the cast of secondary characters, as the reader I felt like I was in the highland with those characters. Between Logan’s clan and Maddie’s aunt, you could feel the love that these characters had throughout the novel. Although denial ran strong throughout those two characters, it made sense for the story.

Grant is my favorite person. Do you know why? He made me feel beautiful on my wedding day. No matter how many times we’re introduced, he’s always impressed. He makes me laugh. —74%, eARC

I cannot wait to continue reading Tessa Dare’s backlist as I continue to love the way she writes stories.

Eloisa James returns with another fabulous romance in her New York Times bestselling Desperate Duchesses series!

As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn.

Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia’s audacious proposal, but there’s one thing he won’t give his inconvenient wife: himself.

Instead, he offers Mia a devil’s bargain . . . he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them.

Which Mia will never do.

Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can’t afford to lose.– Goodreads

Review:

Elosia Jame’s does it again with Four Nights with the Duke. As someone who was in the evil book rut, I was suprised that Four Nights with the Duke helped to bring me out of my funk. I adored this book. I adored that the main two characters and how, in typical romance novel fashion they shouldn’t have worked. But they did. They did beautifully.

Knowing each other from childhood, her father “dated” his mother for twenty plus years which caused for some awkward tension between Emilia and Evander, or Vander as his friends called him. This also wasn’t made easier when Emilia wrote him a love poem at the age of 15. Yes. It’s as awkward as you’d expect it to be. What Emilia never expected was Vander to show all of his friends, or to overhear this painful moment. From that moment on Emilia stated she would marry anyone in the world before him.

What she didn’t expect, was to save her nephew, she would have to marry him. Or that Vander would fall in love with Charlie. Charlie needed to be saved because he has a bad leg, and during this time period, he’s looked down upon by society. Vander refuses to look down on him. He hates that Emilia babies Charlie, but he refuses to look down on him.

Vander also refuses to fall in love with Emilia, this is purely a business relationship. But slowly they do start to fall in love with each other and form this friendship, and even, omg act like husband and wife. Emilia spends a lot of the novel trying to figure out why anyone would love her. As the not typical figure of the time, Emilia refuses to take off most of her clothes when they make love because she doesn’t want to be looked at.

These two, even when in denial, know each other better than they ever thought to. Emilia knows how to hurt Vander and Vander knows how to hurt Emilia. Some of the people I’ve hurt the most in the world, are those I love because I know at the end of the day they will still love me. I get it.

Four Nights with the Duke is an amazing historical romance novel full of love, friendship and family.

All of Me (Love Between the Bases #1) by Jennifer BernardRelease Date: May 26, 2015Publisher: AvonSource: EdelweissRating:Buy It:Amazon | IndieBound

Jennifer Bernard, the USA Today bestselling author of the Bachelor Firemen series, scores another homerun with a brand-new series about sexy, single baseball players.

Playing for the Kilby Catfish is hotshot pitcher Caleb Hart’s last chance to salvage his career after a major league meltdown. But the day of his opener with the minor league team, Caleb strikes out with the gorgeous woman who is delivering a petition to run the unruly Catfish out of town. Now, to stay in the lineup, Caleb will need to score big with the feisty brunette he can’t keep out of his thoughts.

After the nasty lies Sadie Merritt’s rich ex-boyfriend spread about her all over town, she’s lucky to have a job at all. She can’t afford to screw it up by falling for the player who is supposed to be helping her change the image of the fun-loving Catfish. But that’s easier said than done when Caleb’s voice alone is enough to make her pulse race. And when he surprises her with a mind-blowing kiss, she knows there’s no turning back. – Goodreads

Review:

I have never hidden my love of romance novels and All of Me reminds me why I enjoy them. Bernard tells a funny, heartfelt story about those moments you try to deny and why you should stop trying to deny them. The main theme of this novel was clearly trust. Sadie trusting anyone who isn’t her best friend and Caleb trusting anyone who wasn’t close family.

Sadie was burned by the small town of Kilby and she’s dying to get out of it because the King of the town tried to outcast her when the King, her boyfriend at the time was an asshole and the whole town rallied around him, not her. It was painful throughout All of Me until her BFF, who stood by her side, got drunk and defended the crap out of her.

You just let him badmouth her and no one said a thing. You let him plaster a private moment moment all over town. Two people were on that tap. What’s Sadie getting all the blame, instead of the asshole who leaked it? —88%, eARC

That is Sadie’s mindset throughout this novel. The town hates her, her mother looks down on her. No one is there for her but herself and her best friend. Because of that, Sadie was shocked by the new minor league pitcher, Caleb Hart who has his own issues. His father is a horrible liar who has effected Caleb from the day Caleb got the call that his father was in jail and Caleb had to take care of his father. Caleb was never once bitter about the situation, he just accepted it as what it was.

When the two characters are thrown together though it works. They bring out the best in each other and they also make the other person become a better person. They also want to help the other person even when that person is the biggest independent person ever. All of Me just worked. From the very first page Bernard knew where she was taking the characters and consistently took them on a journey that we were welcomed to be a part of.

All of Me is a book that reminds me of my childhood, and I understand that’s weird, but hear me out. It reminds me of those romance paperbacks I started to read in my early teens because I was reading everything and anything and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the baseball aspect and of course the romance aspect and how it made my heart twinge.

Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (The Rules of Scoundrels #4) by Sarah MacLeanRelease Date: November 25, 2014Publisher: BlahblahblahSource: AvonRating:Buy It:Amazon | IndieBound

She is the most powerful woman in Britain,
A queen of the London Underworld …
But no one can ever know.

He is the only man smart enough to uncover the truth,
Putting all she has at risk . . .
Including her heart.

The fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean’s incredible Rule of Scoundrels/Fallen Angels series. These four dark heroes will steal the hearts of their heroines and the readers alike! This is the last in the Rules of Scoundrels series—Chase’s story

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a Duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking—in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered . . . until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear . . . including her heart. – Goodreads

Review:

I love books that involve disguises and MacLean wrote the best type of disguise, or cover: Chase, a character we’ve heard about multiple times in the previous three novels in this series, is actually a woman. She’s a strong, snarky woman who enjoys rolling her eyes at her fellow partners in the Fallen Angel. I adored her as a character.

What is awesome about Georgiana is the fact that she has a huge amount of information on everyone in the town. Everyone participates in her gambling hall and therefore she has blackmail on everyone. While she could use any of this information to blackmail someone into marrying her, for her and her daughter. While Georgiana loves her daughter, it is the blemish on her perfect record and makes people look down upon her. But, Georgiana just wants her daughter, Caroline, to have a chance at normalcy.

While Georgiana has built up this wall around herself, to be seen as a hardass, but inside she is an insecure person, who ultimately just wants to be unconditionally loved. Of course there is a lot to work through. The fact that not only Georgiana is Chase, but also Chase’s woman, Anna who is known in the Fallen Angel as being Chase’s woman. Of course she’s not and the reader knows that, but Duncan doesn’t, because while these two characters talk a lot. They do not talk about important things. There were multiple times that the book was set up for them to talk, to have that moment, but they refused to talk.

What kept coming between them was Chase and how Georgiana is under Chase’s thumb and how that made Duncan rage. While I adored Georgiana has a character, I mean, playing various people, including a man in the 19th century?! OF COURSE I ADORED HER. I did want to shake her because of the love of God woman..JUST TALK TO HIM. IT WON’T BE THAT BAD. But of course, that would make everything too easy, and I understand why they didn’t talk. I enjoyed the tension, but man did I just want them to talk.

I did enjoy the writing and how MacLean made the moments seem like I was there with them, and in pain when they were in pain. It was an enjoyable ending to the quartet.